Bobbin for automatic looms



Oct. 6, 1931. w. H. WAKEFIELD BOBBIN FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Filed oct. 5, 1928 J/TVE/V To)? M47227? bf MIEF/EL 27.

Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNETED STATES ,PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. WAKEFIELD, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIsNon To oRoMP oN a KNOWLES 1100M." WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION" OF MASSACHUSETTS I BOBBIN FOB, AUToMATIc LOOMS Application filed October 5, 1928. Serial No. 310,599.

This invention relates to improvements in bobbins for automatic looms and it is the general object of the invention'to provide a bobbin which will not rotate as it awaits transfer in a stationary magazine.

The usual form of multicolor weft replenishing loom employs a stationary magazine having vertical stacks in which the reserve bobbins are loosely mounted. Experience shows that under certain conditions the bobbins will rotate on their axes in such a way as either to wind up the filling which extends to the thread holder or to unwind filling to render the latter unduly slack. In either instance the filling is likely to be broken at the time of transfer, the tight filling being snapped by the blow of the transferrer arm and the slack filling falling into the path of a moving part of the lay. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a bobbin which when in the reserve stacks will be loaded so as to be heavier on one side than on the other. The effect of this construction is to keep the heavier part of the bobbin down by the force of gravity and tend to prevent rotation.

During the Winding operation it is desirable that the bobbin be balanced around'its axis so as not to wear the bearing of the spindle, and to avoid such wearing I provide a removable weighted element which may be taken from the bobbin when the latter I is being wound. In order that the hole in the bobbinwhich receives the weighted element may not serve to throw the bobbin out of balance when being wound I preferably form the bobbin with two diametrically opposite and equal holes or openings either one, of which is capable ofreceiving the weighted member.

A'detailed feature of my invention is the provision on the removable weighted member of means whereby the same may be quickly detached from the bobbin, said means extend ing preferably across the butt end of the bobbin. so as to engage the usual spring of an automatic shuttle and prevent loss of the weighted member should the same become loose relatively to the bobbin.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my

invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown two formsof the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a weft replenlshing mechanism of the multicolor type showing themanner of. holding my improved bobbins preparatory to transfer,

Fig. 2 is a detailedvertical'section on line 22 of 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the manner in which the weights act to adjust the position of the bobbin, i V

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one end of a bobbin having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionthrough abobbin taken online P4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of one of the weights removed from the'bobbin- Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a loomside 10 and a breast beam 11 uponwhich' is mounted foot 12 of a multicolor magazine M; The latter is provided with the usual 'transferrer arm 13 and is formed with inner and outer plates 14 and 15, respectively. The inner plateis provided witha plurality of flanges twoof which'are indicated in Fig. 2 at 16, these flanges extending verticallyin pairs for each stack and defining guideways along which the bobbins move from the top of the magazinetoward transfer position. The magazine may be of the form shown in patent to Ryon No. 1,030,748 and forms no part of my present invention.

As previously stated it'is found that'as the bobbins await transfer between the flanges'16 they tend to rotate due to the vibration of the loom and it is the general purpose of my present invention to overcome this tendency by attaching a weighted member to each bobbin so placed as to hold the bobbin in a given position by gravity. Accordingly, in carrying my invention into effect I provid-ethe bobbins B having the usual butts 20 and spring rings 21 with openings or holes 40 extending into the butt end of the bobbin substantially parallel to the axis of the latter and located on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the bobbin. Each opening preferably communicates with the internal bore 41 of the bobbin as at 42. The purpose of this latter construction is to accommodate an extension 43 which is formed on weight 44. As shown in Fig. 5 this extension is of circular form and may be of substantially the same diameter as the bore of the bobbin, extending across the latter so as to be in position to engage the shuttle bobbin guide not shown to prevent loss of the weight should the latter become loose.

The weight 44 may be driven into one or another of the openings 40 and when being removed a suitable tool such as a screwdriver S may be passed under the extension 43 to pry the weight loose with respect to the shuttle.

\Vhen the weight 44 is removed the bobbin is balanced around its axis and will rotate in the winding machine without causing any wear on the spindle bearings. Both the openings 40 are capable of receiving the weighted member 44 and if with repeated wear one of these openings should become enlarged the other may be used to provide a tighter fit.

The attendant may place the bobbins in the stacks between the flanges 16 in any position, the positions of the weights in the upper bobbins being located, for instance, as shown in Fig. 2. By constant jarring due to loom vibration, the weights gradually move down to the lowest position they can attain, and are held by gravity in this position until the bobbins are transferred. After an angular movement of no more than a half turn, therefore, the bobbins are brought to a position which they retain so long as they are in the magazine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple means for preventing bobbins from rotating on their axes by providing eac'h bobbin with a weighted mass secured to the bobbin at a point eccentric with the axis of the latter. It will also be seen that the weight is readily removable and when taken away from the bobbin leaves the latter in proper balance because of the fact that the openings which may receive the weighted mass are located on opposite sides of the axis of the bobbin. Furthermore, the extension 43 may be employed to assist in removing the weight 44 and also serves to prevent loss of the weight 44 from the bobbin should the latter work loose when the bobbin is either in the shuttle or in a stack of the magazine.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is 1. A bobbin for use in a weft replenishing loom, the butt of the bobbin having two longitudinal holes therein which lie on opposite sides of the axis of the bobbin so that the latter is balanced, and a weighted mass located in one of said holes and acting by gravity to hold the bobbin in a given position when in the weft replenishing loom.

2. A bobbin for use in a weft replenishing loom, the butt of the bobbin having a pair of parallel holes extending longitudii'ially of the bobbin and located on opposite sides of the axis of the latter, and a removable Weighted mass located in one of the holes.

3. A bobbin for use in a weft replenishing loom, the butt of the bobbin having a pair of parallel holes extending longitudinally of the bobbin and located on opposite sides of the axis of the latter, and a removable weighted mass located in one of the holes and having a portion extending toward the other hole.

4. A bobbin for use in a weft replenishing loom, the butt of the bobbin having a pair of parallel holes extending longitudinally of the bobbin and located on opposite sides of the axis of the latter, and a removable weight ed mass located in one of the holes and having a portion extending toward the other hole across the longitudinal axis of the bobbin.

5. In a weft replenishing mechanism, a guideway, a thread holder, a plurality of bobbins in the guideway having substantially horizontal axes and weft ends which are attached to the thread holder, and a weighted mass carried by each bobbin so placed as to dispose the center of gravity of the bobbin as a whole below the bobbin axis to prevent rotation of the bobbins.

6. In a weft replenishing loom, a guideway, a thread holder, a plurality of bobbins located in the guideway having substantially horizontal axes and movable along the latter toward transfer position, each of the bobbins having extending therefrom a weft end which is attached to the thread holder, and a weight ed mass carried by each bobbin, each mass being mounted on its bobbin eccentric-ally with respect to the axis of the bobbin to dispose the center of gravity of the bobbin as a whole below the bobbin axis to prevent rotation of the bobbins on their axes.

7. A bobbin for use in a weft replenishing mechanism arranged to support a plurality of bobbins one on another with their axes substantially horizontal, said bobbin having a weighted mass so related to the bobbin that the center of gravity of the combined bobbin and mass lies to one side of the axis of the bobbin, the center of gravity when under the axis resisting movement of the bobbin about its axis.

8. A bobbin to be supported in a weft replenishing mechanism with its axis substantially horizontal, said bobbin having means to dispose the center of gravity of the com- 

